Bangkok Post
Thai and Cambodian civil society organizations have jointly called for a ceasefire between the two countries and encouraged Asean to quickly deploy their observers to maintain the permanent ceasefire to end the suffering of the people along the border.
Suntaree Saeng--ging, secretary general of the Thai NGO Coordinating Committee, together with Thun Saray, president of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, jointly announced that the current border conflicts have caused internal displaced people, especially women and children, and a continuation of violence has been worried about the prolonged armed conflicts.
The two NGO leaders took the opportunity at the Asean People Forum here to issue a joint statement to express their sorrow for those affected, injured and killed in the border disputes which have been aggravated since early February.
“As soldiers from both sides have been exchanging shells and bullets, human rights of the villagers from border communities remained violated—the rights to food, security, and education are not guaranteed,” said Mr Thun.
As bilateral talks have proven ineffective, it was crucial for Asean leaders to play a leading role in ending the conflicts, said Ms Suntaree.
Somsri Hananuntasuk, board member of the Campaign Committee on Human Rights, said the civil society organizations should not embrace the emotions and tones of the military and the government, but to call for reconciliation for the two sides so that fraternal relationship could return to the fore.
The joint statement which was signed by some 40 organisations from both countries also stipulated that Asean should pay more attention to the worse situation of the displaced persons of both countries.
“Asean should make the ceasefire happen immediately and should deploy observers along the Cambodian-Thai border disputed area as soon as possible and promote Asean’s role to maintain the permanent ceasefire along those areas,” the statement said
Meanwhile another group of Thai and Cambodian civil society organizations, which were mostly media, had also held a frank and candid discussions about the anatomy of the conflicts and the way forward for people-to-people cooperation.
Organised by the People’s Empowerment Foundation, participants noted that the media should go beyond simply taking the official line of their own governments and cared more about the plight of the displaced people across the border.
Pa Nguon Teang, executive director of the Radio Voice of Democracy, said in time of mutual distrust, independent mechanism to spread objective information was very important.
Like Thai politicians who benefited from the surge of nationalism, Cambodian politicians were also advantageous from the simmering tension, said Mr Pa Nguon.
“Prime Minister Hun Sen’s administration popularity is higher, according to the recent survey. Certainly, in each countries the dissent voices are not so strong and the government usually still able to portray the situation in their own benefit,” said the Cambodian media.
He conceded that changing the animosity against each other and politicking of the border conflicts might take the next generation or next government to restore some border stability.
Visit Duangkaew, a villager from Phum Srol village in Si Sa Ket’s Kantaralak district, who participated in the workshop held on the 4th May night at the sideline of the Asean People Forum, said border communities did not know who benefit from the war, but villagers were traumatically affected while assets and their livelihood were also insecure.
“Villagers realise that fact that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia but also understand the Thai government’s argument over the 4.6 square-kilometres overlapping claims. However, villagers believe if the dispute could be settled politically, peace will return to their lives,” said Mr Visit.
Most of the people believed the border problem would end if Thailand got a new government, he said.
Suntaree Saeng--ging, secretary general of the Thai NGO Coordinating Committee, together with Thun Saray, president of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, jointly announced that the current border conflicts have caused internal displaced people, especially women and children, and a continuation of violence has been worried about the prolonged armed conflicts.
The two NGO leaders took the opportunity at the Asean People Forum here to issue a joint statement to express their sorrow for those affected, injured and killed in the border disputes which have been aggravated since early February.
“As soldiers from both sides have been exchanging shells and bullets, human rights of the villagers from border communities remained violated—the rights to food, security, and education are not guaranteed,” said Mr Thun.
As bilateral talks have proven ineffective, it was crucial for Asean leaders to play a leading role in ending the conflicts, said Ms Suntaree.
Somsri Hananuntasuk, board member of the Campaign Committee on Human Rights, said the civil society organizations should not embrace the emotions and tones of the military and the government, but to call for reconciliation for the two sides so that fraternal relationship could return to the fore.
The joint statement which was signed by some 40 organisations from both countries also stipulated that Asean should pay more attention to the worse situation of the displaced persons of both countries.
“Asean should make the ceasefire happen immediately and should deploy observers along the Cambodian-Thai border disputed area as soon as possible and promote Asean’s role to maintain the permanent ceasefire along those areas,” the statement said
Meanwhile another group of Thai and Cambodian civil society organizations, which were mostly media, had also held a frank and candid discussions about the anatomy of the conflicts and the way forward for people-to-people cooperation.
Organised by the People’s Empowerment Foundation, participants noted that the media should go beyond simply taking the official line of their own governments and cared more about the plight of the displaced people across the border.
Pa Nguon Teang, executive director of the Radio Voice of Democracy, said in time of mutual distrust, independent mechanism to spread objective information was very important.
Like Thai politicians who benefited from the surge of nationalism, Cambodian politicians were also advantageous from the simmering tension, said Mr Pa Nguon.
“Prime Minister Hun Sen’s administration popularity is higher, according to the recent survey. Certainly, in each countries the dissent voices are not so strong and the government usually still able to portray the situation in their own benefit,” said the Cambodian media.
He conceded that changing the animosity against each other and politicking of the border conflicts might take the next generation or next government to restore some border stability.
Visit Duangkaew, a villager from Phum Srol village in Si Sa Ket’s Kantaralak district, who participated in the workshop held on the 4th May night at the sideline of the Asean People Forum, said border communities did not know who benefit from the war, but villagers were traumatically affected while assets and their livelihood were also insecure.
“Villagers realise that fact that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia but also understand the Thai government’s argument over the 4.6 square-kilometres overlapping claims. However, villagers believe if the dispute could be settled politically, peace will return to their lives,” said Mr Visit.
Most of the people believed the border problem would end if Thailand got a new government, he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment